Valarie Wilson

Sometimes the key to getting what you need to solve a problem is creating your own tailor-made solution. That’s exactly how Valarie Wilson helps school boards across Georgia, as she spearheads key technology training and support that align with student success.

Since taking on her current role about three years ago, Wilson has worked with 180 school districts across the state to provide professional development, personnel and finance training, strategic planning services, superintendent services, and policy support, among other things. One of the major ways that the Georgia School Boards Association supports districts is through a board management software solution called Simbli. According to Wilson, about 160 of the state’s districts currently use the platform to manage meetings or support community engagement in their local area. “It allows them to be more effective and efficient in the work that they’re doing because it’s all in one place and helps to support decisions that they make for good outcomes for students,” she said.

Wilson also works with Georgia school districts to implement training and to highlight successes that districts have had with the Simbli platform as a way to share best practices. “The beauty in this is that we are helping boards understand how they can be more effective and efficient in their work,” Wilson said. “It also helps them to understand how technology impacts the work that their students are doing.”

One of the biggest indicators of success for Wilson is the 99 percent renewal rate of the platform and the continual growth of customers. But despite its growth, she is clear that the goal of the tool remains supporting local boards of education. “The work we continue to do is focused on making sure we are creating efficient systems that allow kids to have great outcomes,” she said. — Julia McCandless

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About Top 30

Each year, the Center for Digital Education recognizes K-20 education leaders who have transformed learning through the innovative use of technology in its annual Top 30 awards program and publication. Recognizing the Top 30 Technologists, Transformers and Trailblazers across America, CDE aims to honor pioneers in education technology and showcase the accomplishments and best practices of award winners. Nominations for all positions held within education, including public officials, are judged on:

Efforts to improve education with digital tools

Impact of those efforts on student achievement; the institution; and the local, state and national scene